Angelo "Bud" Parisi began his bookbinding career in 1946 at the Harvard Bindery where he worked as a "hand finisher" decorating the covers of library books with gold leaf, hand-set brass type, gas flame, and artisan skill.  Bud was soon annoying his boss by encouraging the use of Linotype cast lead type and a Kensol stamping machine to letter a cover in a single "hit" rather than one line at a time by hand.  Bud's ambition led him to invest in some old machinery so he could work nights and weekends at home, stamping diaries with personal names and logos for a large bindery.  As his business grew Bud asked his boss at Harvard if he could switch to part-time work.  His boss agreed initially, but on the first day that Bud was scheduled to be off; he called and fired him.  This was 1958.  Bud had two children, Carole age seven and Paul age 5.  As they were driving to a doctor's appointment Bud told his wife Anne that he had been fired.  She told him to drive faster---she had gone into labor.  Their third child John was born that day, October 31. 

Bud had no business training or experience.  He had only $1000 in cash borrowed from his sister. He had little prospect of success. But Bud was confident and determined.  He had recently purchased a two-family house so that the rent could pay his mortgage.  He had no reliable income, so he worked nights cleaning bathrooms at Filene’s to put food on the table.  With no letter of introduction, Bud went to visit the librarians at the Boston Athenaeum and Simmons College to ask for work.  He impressed them with his character and initiative and was given a few books to bind. 

The stress was more than Bud bargained for.  With a full agenda of “things to do” Bud took a shortcut on a machine setup, disabled a safety and had an accident that smashed three fingers on his right hand.  Undaunted, Bud tackled his therapy and slowly he regained the use of fingers he was told he would never use again.  Fired up by the need to get things done—Bud became the general contractor to renovate “his” new home.  Bear in mind that Bud had no training as a contractor.  He was indomitable and “he had no choice”.  Bud succeeded in this transition—and 3 years later, after another bindery acquisition, Bud was doubling the size of Acme’s building—and 13 years later he would double it again when the company added trade binding to its library binding base.

During those years of growth, Bud gave control of his business to his sons, Paul and John.  He continued to work but he had found a new passion.  On his 40th birthday, Anne bought golf clubs for Bud.  Little did she know how this would change their lives?  Bud attacked golf with his full energy.  It would not be long before Bud was in the running at member-guest championships with his clutch putting and long drives.  His cherished achievements were two holes in one and several rounds of golf where he broke 80.

They say that behind every successful man is a strong woman. Well Bud certainly had that in Anne.  Together they built a family and a company.  They shared 60 years of marriage. They fought cancer and emphysema.  They were a team.

Bud was one of seven children.  He had 2 sisters and 4 brothers and a mother who had the most marvelous laugh one could imagine.  Bud’s mother was called Honey—she lived to the age of 100.

Bud valued his family above all else.  His children meant the world to him.  He believed in hard work.  He never made excuses.  He was quick to point out a better way to do most anything. He always had something to say—and much of what he had to say might have been taken as criticism.  But he was usually right.

Under his strong exterior and sometimes gruff demeanor, Bud had a heart of gold.  He did not think himself to be good with words—but he could rattle off a joke on any subject with just the right message.  He had an amazing talent for numbers, inherited by his children and grand children and evidenced in his skill at card playing—a skill and passion also inherited by the grandchildren.  First Kelly, then Justine, then Grant, then Chase, then Reid and finally Sean—he was so proud of them.  He delighted at their every achievement.

I will always carry close to my heart Bud’s favorite sayings.

If you have time to do it over again, you have time to do it right the first time---and you would do it over again if Bud was involved.

Measure twice, cut once.

Don’t be impressed by what people say, but pay attention to what they do.

Unfortunately for all of us, and for Bud, cigarettes robbed him of his golden years.  He lived his life with courage and he ended it the same way.  He was not afraid.  He told me that he was ready to dance with the angels.  His last wish was that all of his children and grandchildren strive for happiness-and to look for it in the relationships with family.  Bud was proud of all of us, but I don’t think he ever realized how proud we were of him.

In addition to his children and grandchildren, Bud is survived by his brother Charles and his sister Mary.